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What else can I do my child is barely making it in school?

He is 8 yrs. old and in the 3rd grade he is a smart boy but like almost any other kid his age they are just not interested that much in school. We tell him to atleast bring home B's and C's instead he brings home more D's and one C I tell him that was good the last report card day but this time the same thing what I mean't to him was don't settle for a D even though you can pass but go above a D..He's like "As long as I am passing what is the big deal"? Yes you are barely passing but I want you to do better you are smarter than that than to just settle with a D as you get older it will get harder.

I don't know what else to do with him as far as studying I don't know everything that they actually do in the classroom..I don't want him to repeat this grade :(

You need to punish him for bad grades. Take away things he enjoys. Don't let him play with friends, go anywhere but school and home, hover over him while he does homework, studies for tests, etc. You need to break this habit now. It's only going to get worse.

Answer by
Anonymous
at 4:45 PM on Jan. 22, 2010

First, he is not like "almost every kid his age". Second, he may have a learning disabiltiy, he might be a victim of bullying, etc.

Have a meeting with your son, the school counselor and his teachers. Get a feel for the root of the problem. He may need therapy, tutoring or a kick in the rear.

Why is he bringing home these grades? Is he just blowing it off or does he not understand his work? Do you have a set routine for homework and studying? What are the consequences for not doing his best?
What has his teacher said about his grades?

Sorry for more questions than answers but without a bit more information, it's really hard to give advice. Oh, one other question. Does he do sports? Is there a grade requirement? In our school, kids with a grade lower than a C are ineligible to play. That's motivation for a lot of kids in our school.